Recently, Substack added drip campaigns for “bestsellers”, which means it will probably be launched to everyone in a month or two.
and I jumped on a call (because we’re nerds about this stuff) and talked through the new feature we’ve both been waiting for this for… years, honestly.Drip sequences are standard on basically every email platform—ConvertKit, MailerLite, ActiveCampaign, you name it. Substack, on the other hand, has always been more minimalist. For better or worse.
Until now, if you wanted automation, you had to jerry-rig it with Zapier and some elbow grease, which is what I had to do. I built my own system off-site just to do basic onboarding.
Now, Substack finally lets you do it natively, which means you can now…
Greet your new subscribers properly
Introduce them to your world without chaos
Let your back catalog breathe again
All without manually onboarding every new reader, which is tedious and unscalable.
The only thing worse is dropping new subscribers into the middle of your newsletter with zero context. If someone lands on your publication from a promo, a podcast, or a book backmatter, they’re not necessarily going to “get it” right away.
If they don’t know your vibe, your values, or your universe, they’re just confused.
And confused people unsubscribe.
Drip campaigns help solve that. They let you:
Slowly onboard people into your world
Share the why behind your work
Build a relationship over time
…without having to remember to do it every time
This doesn’t have to be a great burden either. I walk you through how to take your About page, slice it into 3–5 short emails, and schedule those as your welcome sequence very quickly.
This doesn’t have to be some elaborate, 12-email sales funnel. This isn’t ClickFunnels. It’s Substack. You’re building trust, not closing a $10,000 coaching deal.
Drip campaigns won’t magically 10x your revenue or convert 43% of subscribers into superfans overnight. (If it does, call me.)
But it will:
Clarify your message
Reduce churn
Make new people feel like they belong
Let you step away from your laptop and breathe
That last one? Kinda matters.
🎯 Key Takeaways from the Podcast Episode
Topic: Substack Drip Campaigns
Drip campaigns help you make a better first impression.
New readers shouldn’t have to guess what you’re about. A welcome sequence sets expectations, shows off your best work, and builds trust from day one.Substack finally lets you automate onboarding—natively.
No more Zapier hacks or outside platforms. You can now guide new subscribers through your ecosystem without lifting a finger after setup.You don’t need a complex funnel—just 3–5 solid emails.
Break up your About page. Highlight a few core ideas. Point to key posts. Invite people to go deeper. That’s enough to start.Automation ≠ cold or impersonal.
Done well, it’s actually more considerate. It’s the difference between ghosting your readers and greeting them at the door.If you don’t onboard readers, you’ll lose them.
People unsubscribe when they don’t “get” your work. Drip campaigns reduce churn and increase engagement.Use this sequence to soft-sell without sounding salesy.
Once someone understands your mission, they’re more open to becoming a paid subscriber, buying a book, or joining your world long-term.
